螳螂捕蝉 麻雀在后

螳螂: Amazon, Amazon is the first mover in e-reader, e-book space.

麻雀: Apple, with the iPad/iBook, it changed the game right away.

蝉: Traditional book sellers, Barnes and Noble, Borders, and many independent book sellers. Barnes and Borders both offered e-reader and e-book store, Barnes offered Nook before iPad, Borders teamed up with Kobo and launched the e-reader after iPad launch. Barnes cut Nook from $260 to $199 a short while ago, to counter iPad attack. Amazon matched the cut on the same day.

Of course, the game is not over yet. I expect iPad will make some in roads to the college education market (which Kindle DX failed at its 1st try). Barnes still have some advantages in traditional book, esp. college bookstore.

msft was the smart phone pioneer as well.

Except they "shrink" Windows for desktop/laptop to Windows Mobile (CE) and did not try hard enough to come up with something truly revolutionary